Until the Twin Suns Cease to Shine [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 5: The Podrace

Author's Note: Wow, I am really on a roll - whatever Muse is helping me with my writing must really like me right now! Once again, please comment, vote, fan. Thanks, guys!

Chapter 5: The Podrace

Sarah gasped as Anakin's Podracer started, and then....died, right there on the starting line.

What?!?! she thought, not understanding why he wasn't moving. They had performed multiple checks on the engines this morning, and they'd been working fine then. So why was he at a standstill? What had gone wrong?

Behind her, she heard Padme and Shmi whispering nervously to each other; they were wondering what had happened, too. Jar Jar was standing stock still, hands still firmly in place over his eyes. Qui-Gon said nothing, merely watching what would happen, his features in a calm mask. However, Sarah wasn't fooled - she could feel how anxious he felt, and how bewildered he was about what was going on down there. She pushed the thoughts of her friends aside and focused on Anakin. He was fiddling with the little ignition knobs on the dashboard, his face scrunched up in concentration. Come on, Ani! she thought desperately, trying to encourage him to figure out what was wrong and fix it.

Suddenly, the engines roared to life and Anakin's Podracer shot forward past the starting line and out onto the course. Sarah screamed with joy, ecstatic that he had managed to heal whatever it had been that had caused him to stall, and she yelled encouraging things from her standpoint. Some members of the audience looked at her curiously, but she didn't care at this point. She was too caught up in the race.

Scurrying from her place near the edge of the viewing platform, she went over to Shmi and watched as the holocams broadcasted the racers's progress as they twisted their way through the treacherous course. The holocams were focused on Anakin as he rushed to catch up with the competition. It was all extremely fast, but from what she could see, he and the other racers were quickly approaching the first set of rock formations as they screamed across the sun-baked flats, and soon Anakin had caught up with the tail end of the competition. She caught her breath as he passed racer after racer, his powerful engines whipping up sand and grit as they passed.

Sarah was very familiar with the race track, having been present for each of Anakin's Podraces, and she knew that after the rock formations came Arch Canyon - a narrow, snaking ravine that left barely enough room for one Pod to fit through. She knew what his strategy would be. He would try and outrace his competitors so he wouldn't have to worry about anything once he was in the canyon. She followed him as closely as she could as Anakin tried to sneak past several racers, without much success. One of the contestants seemed adamant about not letting him past. Looking down at the viewing screen, she saw a profile pop up for the racer. Of course. It was Gasgano. No wonder Anakin was having such a tough time getting around him. However, after going off a low mesa, he was able to pass him with ease.

Sarah tried to keep her eye on Anakin as he entered the canyon and began the natural obstacle course. It was difficult, though; after a few seconds of twisting, turning, accelerations and other fast movements, she had completely lost track of where he was in the course. It wasn't until the competition had streaked out of Arch Canyon did she finally catch sight of him again. He was about a dozen Pods behind the two fighting for the lead - Mawhonic and Sebulba. The holocams were not focused in too well on them, however, and the next thing she knew Mawhonic was a huge ball of flame and smoke.

Xelbree was the next to try and take the lead. He attempted the same maneuver that Anakin had used on Gasgano, sneaking past Sebulba from above. He would have made it, too, if Sebulba hadn't noticed him. Xelbree's Pod exploded much as Mawhonic's had, and Sebulba streaked ahead, once again victorious.